DUAL MODE CLUTCH PEDAL FOR VEHICLE

• US 20100255952A1
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clean Emissions Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ZERO Tension Systems LLC
• Inventors: Diehl, Joel Craig, Turnbow, Wayne, Harris, Warner Olan, Harris, Warner Allen, Harris, Dan Warner
• Granted Patent: US 9,758,146 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 477/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/14 Clutch pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/19 Improvement of gear change, e.g. by synchronisation or smoothing gear shift
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/14 Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/46 dependent on a comparison between speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 63/42 Ratio indicator devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility

Abstract

In a vehicle having a manual transmission coupled to an internal combustion engine via a first clutch, the first clutch is operable responsive to movement of a clutch pedal. In an engine mode of vehicle operation, the engine propels the vehicle responsive to movement of an accelerator pedal. An electric motor is coupled to the manual transmission for propelling the vehicle in an electric traction motor mode of vehicle operation. Controls are configured for generating a motor demand signal responsive to accelerator pedal position and configured for modifying the demand signal generation responsive to the clutch pedal position.

Claims

1. In a vehicle having a manual transmission coupled to an internal combustion engine (“

ICE”

) via a first clutch, the first clutch configured to respond to movement of a clutch pedal, wherein in an ICE mode of vehicle operation, the vehicle is configured so that the ICE propels the vehicle responsive to movement of an accelerator pedal, a system comprising;

an electric motor coupled to the manual transmission and configured for propelling the vehicle in an electric traction motor (“

ETM”

) mode of vehicle operation; and

controls configured for (i) generating an ETM demand signal responsive to a position of the accelerator pedal, and (ii) modifying the generating of the ETM demand signal responsive to a position of the clutch pedal, wherein the electric motor is configured to adjust its output torque as a function of a magnitude of the ETM demand signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controls configured for modifying the ETM demand signal are further configured for generating, for a given accelerator pedal position, a smaller magnitude of the ETM demand signal when the clutch pedal is in an actuated position than when the clutch pedal is in a resting position.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controls are further configured for generating a predetermined ETM demand signal independent of the position of the accelerator pedal when the clutch pedal is in an actuated position.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second clutch interposed between the electric motor and the manual transmission, wherein the controls are further configured for (i) disengaging the electric motor from the manual transmission via the second clutch responsive to detecting an actuated position of the clutch pedal when the vehicle is in the ETM mode of vehicle operation, and (ii) engaging the electric motor to the manual transmission via the second clutch responsive to detecting a resting position of the clutch pedal when the vehicle is in the ETM mode of vehicle operation.

5. In a vehicle having a manual transmission coupled to an internal combustion engine (“

ICE”

) via a first clutch, the first clutch configured to respond to movement of a clutch pedal, wherein in an ICE mode of vehicle operation, the vehicle is configured so that the ICE propels the vehicle responsive to movement of an accelerator pedal, a system comprising;

an electric motor coupled to the manual transmission and configured for propelling the vehicle in an electric traction motor (“

ETM”

) mode of vehicle operation;

a second clutch interposed between the electric motor and the manual transmission; and

controls configured for (i) disengaging the electric motor from the manual transmission via the second clutch responsive to detecting an actuated position of the clutch pedal when the vehicle is in the ETM mode of vehicle operation, and (ii) engaging the electric motor to the manual transmission via the second clutch responsive to detecting a resting position of the clutch pedal when the vehicle is in the ETM mode of vehicle operation.

6. In a vehicle having a manual transmission coupled to an internal combustion engine (“

ICE”

) via a first clutch, the first clutch configured to respond to a clutch pedal position, wherein in an ICE mode of operation, the ICE propels the vehicle responsive to an accelerator pedal position, a method comprising;

propelling the vehicle via an electric traction motor (“

ETM”

) in an ETM mode of operation by a controlled response of the vehicle to the accelerator pedal position;

disengaging the first clutch and holding the first clutch disengaged in the ETM mode, so that the ICE is disengaged from the manual transmission during the ETM mode of operation; and

changing the controlled response as a result of detected positions of the clutch pedal during the ETM mode of operation.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the ETM is coupled to the manual transmission and the vehicle includes a second clutch interposed between the ETM and the manual transmission, and wherein changing the controlled response includes controls causing the second clutch to (1) disengage the ETM from the manual transmission responsive to the controls detecting an actuated position of the clutch pedal during the ETM mode of operation, and (2) engage the ETM to the manual transmission responsive to the controls detecting a resting position of the clutch pedal during the ETM mode of operation.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein propelling the vehicle by a controlled response comprises generating an ETM demand signal responsive to accelerator pedal position, and wherein changing the controlled response includes generating, for a given accelerator pedal position, a smaller ETM demand signal when the clutch pedal is in the actuated position than when the clutch pedal is in the resting position.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein propelling the vehicle by a controlled response comprises generating an ETM demand signal responsive to the accelerator pedal position, and wherein changing the controlled response includes generating a predetermined ETM demand signal independent of the accelerator pedal position when the clutch pedal is in an actuated position.

10. In a vehicle having a manual transmission coupled to an internal combustion engine (“

ICE”

) via a first clutch, the first clutch configured to respond to a clutch pedal, wherein in an ICE mode of vehicle operation, the ICE propels the vehicle responsive to an accelerator pedal, a method of retrofitting the vehicle comprising;

coupling an electric traction motor (“

ETM”

) to the manual transmission in a configuration for propelling the vehicle; and

coupling controls to the vehicle, the controls configured for disengaging the first clutch and causing the vehicle to be propelled via the ETM during an ETM mode of operation by a controlled response of the ETM to a position of the accelerator pedal, wherein the controls are further configured to (1) detect resting and actuated positions of the clutch pedal, and (2) responsively change the controlled response of the ETM to the accelerator pedal during the ETM mode of operation.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising:

coupling a second clutch interposed between the ETM and the manual transmission; and

coupling an actuator to the second clutch in a configuration for disengaging the second clutch, wherein the controls are further configured for (1) disengaging the second clutch during the ETM mode of operation responsive to detecting an actuated position of the clutch pedal, and (2) engaging the second clutch during the ETM mode of operation responsive to detecting a resting position of the clutch pedal.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the controls are configured to generate an ETM demand signal having a magnitude responsive to a detected position of the accelerator pedal, wherein the controls are further configured for generating, for a given accelerator pedal position, a smaller magnitude of the ETM demand signal when the clutch pedal is in the actuated position than when the clutch pedal is in the resting position.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the controls are configured, during both the ETM and ICE modes of operation, to generate, for a given accelerator pedal position, the smaller magnitude of the ETM demand signal when the clutch pedal is in the actuated position than when the clutch pedal is in the resting position.